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COMIC-CON 2010: Seth MacFarlane does 'Family Guy' live

July 24, 2010 | 12:52
pm

It was "Family Guy" live Saturday morning at Comic-Con, as creator Seth MacFarlane, in character as the emblematic Stewie, tore into a rapid-fire performance of his original song "Down Syndrome Girl," a paean to the character that famously offended Sarah Palin.

"I have a sinus thing going on," MacFarlane apologized after the wild applause had died down. "It could've been better."

The fierce reaction of the Palin crowd seems to have emboldened the gleefully offensive MacFarlane & Co. to bring back the Down Syndrome Girl character this season. As panelist Patrick Warburton, who voices cop Joe Swanson on the show, said understatedly: "A lot of the show is not very Christian, and I think we're all going to hell."

The producers began the panel by previewing nine minutes of "It's a Trap," the new "Family Guy" DVD parody of "Star Wars," which has become a profitable sidelight for the series. The clip started with Stewie, dressed as Darth Vader, emerging from a spaceship and complaining: "We're in a galaxy far, far away, and we still have to change in Atlanta?" Needless to say, the preview drew a warm reception from the crowd.

MacFarlane told the audience that the creators may start a separate DVD series spoofing "Indiana Jones," but that might take a while. "We're gonna take a little break," he said.

MacFarlane also tossed out a few very mild spoilers for the upcoming Season 9. Among them: Stewie treks to the North Pole to try to kill Santa Claus. And Lois, the matriarch of the Griffin clan, has a porno past.

Alex Borstein, who voices the role, explained: "I'm a Method actor, so that one hurt."